Bookworms from Weybridge and the Dittons were the worst offenders — handing over £7,832 and £6,887 worth of fines respectively during 2005/06.

Perhaps the most diligent readers and listeners were those who borrowed from Hersham and Cobham libraries where users notched up fines of £2,985 and £3,782 respectively — the lowest figures in the borough.

Across the county overdue items made Surrey County Council £282,402 in penalties last year.

The overall figures were an improvement on the previous year for borrowers when fines were closer to £300,000.

County councillor responsible for libraries, Cllr Christine Stevens, said the council was making it as easy as possible to return or renew items.

“Library fines are there so people actually bring the books and audio visual stuff back instead of absconding with them,” she said.

“Maybe people are all busy. I really don’t know.

“I am not sure whether we have done any investigation into that.

“If people want to borrow books and if they want to renew them they can do so easily using the contact centre or the website.

“The fines get ploughed back into the service.

“I’m not sure whether our fines are any different from other county services.”

Cllr Stevens said, as she was not a regular library user, she did not have any fines.

“If everybody brought their books back or renewed them in time they wouldn’t have fines,” she added.

George Craig, a chef from Esher, said he normally managed to return his books on time.

He told the News & Mail that borrowers had no excuse for receiving hefty fines if they handed books and CDs back in late.

“The amount looks quite high but I think it is a good thing,” he said.

“On the one hand libraries are under-funded but you don’t want to scare people away with fines.”

Adult fines are 12p a day up to a maximum of £3.60.

Children’s and young adult books are fined at 2p a day up to a maximum of 60p.

DVDs and music CDs kept longer than the one week hire period are charged at 40p per day up to a maximum of £12 and 12p a day to a maximum of £3.60 respectively.

There is also an administrative charge of 50p to pay for any reminders, which are sent when books are six and nine weeks overdue.

People aged more than 70 years old can keep books as long as they like with no fines or administrative charges to pay.